The death has been announced of former NFL player O.J. Simpson.
In a statement released via social media, the family of the late 76-year-old confirmed that he died yesterday, after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.
“On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer,” they penned on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace,” the Simpson family added.
On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer.
— O.J. Simpson (@TheRealOJ32) April 11, 2024
He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren.
During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace.
-The Simpson Family
O.J. was born in July 1947, and in 1969, he entered into a career in the NFL. In terms of his sporting years, he was best known for his achievements as part of the Buffalo Bills, and received the nickname ‘Juice’ from fans.
After being inducted into the US’ sporting hall of fame, O.J. went on to have a multi-faceted career as a pitchman and football commentator. He also dabbled into the world of acting, appearing in a number of TV and film roles, including the Naked Gun movies.
However, on June 12, 1994, his career came to a halt when he was accused of the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown, as well as waiter Ron Goldman. The pair were found stabbed to death outside Nicole’s home in Los Angeles.
After a now-infamous car chase from police, O.J. was promptly arrested on suspicion of both murders. In what became dubbed as the “trial of the century”, the double-murder court case lasted for 11 months.
On October 3, 1995, the trial’s jury found O.J. not guilty of both Nicole and Ron’s murders. However, two years later, he was found liable for wrongful death and battery, and was ordered to pay almost $33.5M in damages to both victims’ families.
In February of this year, it was reported that O.J. had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and that he was subsequently undergoing chemotherapy treatment.
